Valve-stem silencer



T T U. H E A 2 9 1A mFuiy 1 VALVE STEM S ILENCER Filed July 5, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet l 01v; we

oFF 0,3

ATTORNE.

July 1 1924. 1,439,928

A. E. HUTT VALVE STEM SILENCER Filed July 5, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS.

Patented an a, rare. I htththt stares eaten annnnr is. near or annaronn, rnnnsrnv venvns'rmn srnnncnn.

Applicationfiled an 5, 1923. serial no. aliases.

ent preferred by me, since they. will give in practice satisfactory and reliable results, although it is to be understood. that the various instrumentalities of which my inven tion consists can be variously arranged and. organized and that my invention is not lime To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, ALBERT Hm, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ardmore, county of Montgomery, State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Valve-Stem Silencers, of which the following is a specification. I

In. the valve-in-head, T hea d, L head and the general type of gas engines oLthe-foregoing conventional character now in vogue in automobiles, trucks, self propelled vehicles and the like, the outer end of the rocker arm or valve actuator which coacts with the valve stem to unseat the valve at the proper periods usually impacts 7 directly thereon,- with a tappet action which results 1n an unnecessary amount of noise, and wear, which by my invention, I have practically el1m1- nated, and in addition by my novel construction the rocker arm and valve tend to function as a unit, so that-the control of the of a novel construction of connecting devices common to the free end of the rocker arm and valve stem comprising a pair of juxtaposed contacting discs, whereby noise and wear, are practically eliminated and no lost motion is present during the unseating or actuation of the valve and its adjuncts.

It further consists of a novel construction of a ball and socket or universal joint con.- nection in combination with a pair of discs common to the rocker arm and valve stem.

It further consists of a novel manner of securin in position and assembling the ball and soc et connection. common to the rocker arm and valve stem and its adjuncts and a novel means for locking in the various desired adjusted ositions the nut or threaded plug which ho ds the parts in osition. J It further consists of nove means for keeping the various parts properly lubricated and for retaining an adequate supply of the lubricant between the contiguous coacting surfaces of the connections, common to the rocker arm and juxtaposed valve stem. lit further consists of a novel manner of constructing the end of therocker arm so that the various parts can be expeditiously and accurately assembled.

For the purpose of illustrating my invention, I have shown in the accompanying drawings fomns thereof which are at presplan view of my novel rocker arm, the outer end being in section'on line 22 Fi re 3.

Figure 3 represents a section on ine 33 Figure 2.-

Figure ,4. represents a front view of Figure 2 with the spherical seat removed.

. Figure 5 represents a section on line 55 Figure 4.

Fi tion of Fig.3.

Figures 7 to 9 represent vertical sections of modifications. c

Figures, 10 and 11 represent side and end 13 represent modifications.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings.

It will be understood that my invention is applicable to any of the forms of tappet actuated valves in the valve-in-head, T head or L head internal combustion engines, of the conventional type and I have shown in Fig. 1, one form of a conventional, internal combustion en' ine 1 having the cam shaft '2, lifting rod 3, racket 4, valve 5, valve stem re 6 represents a plan view of a por- I i views of cams emplo ed. Figures 12 and p 6 and valve s ring 7 all of which elements and their mo e of operation are well known and neednot be described in further detail, as my present invention relates more particularly to the 'novel construction of the outer end of the rocker arm 8 and the novel ball and socket or universal joint connections common thereto, and to the contacting discs of the upper end of the valve stem 6, said rocker arm being fulcrumed in the bracket 4 in the usual manner.

The outer end of the rocker arm is internally threaded at 9 and provided with the threaded plug or closure 10, whose bottom cave bottom wall 12 said block resting on the split plate 13, which rests on the bottom shoulder or wall 14 of the chamber 15.

It will be understood from the foregoing, that the rod 3, the rocker arm 8 and its adjuncts serve as a valve actuator.

The plate 13 has a curvilinear seat therein, forming a continuation of the concave or hemispherical wall 12, so that when the parts are assembled as seen in Fig. 3, a Subs stantially spherical seat or socket is formed for the spherical head 16, of the member 17, which has the shank 18 rising from the disc or base flange 19.

The bottom of the disc 19, rests upon the top 20 of the pan shaped member or disc 21, which is supplied with lubricant and provided with the upper peripheral flange 22 which retains said lubricant, and the lower peripheral flange 23, which engages the upper portion of the valve spring 7.

The bottom of the disc 19 is provided with a small central oil reservoir or ocket 24 and the bottom of the member 21 is provided with a seat 25, whose walls 26 engage the upper end of the valve stem 6 which is fastened thereto by the transverse pin 27. The nut or threaded plug 10, is provided with a plurality of diametric milled slots 28, whose terminals may align with the holes 29 in the outer portion 30 of the rocker arm, so that when the desired slot 28 is in alignment with the desired hole 29, a cotter pin 33 can be inserted therethrough to lock said nut or plug from rotation.

For convenience in assembling, T provide an opening .31 in the front of the rocker arm 8, whose front wall extends above the shoulder 14, as 'seenat 32 in Figure 4, so as to retain the split plate 13 in position.

The operation is as follows As the rocker arm or valve actuator is oscillated on its fulcrum, it will through the medium of the ball and socket or universal jointconnection, instantaneously unseat the coacting valve, which latter is seated or moved upwardly by the tension of the valve spring. The slight space between the contiguous upper and lower discs, which in practice is about .004 to .001 of an inch andvalve 5, as seen for example in Figure 1,

is seated, there is a very slight amount of play away from the disc 21 allowed for the valve actuator and the upper disc 19 when the engine is cold or initially started. When the rocker arm 8 or the valve actuator moves inwardly to unseatthe valve, the juxtaposed areas of the discs 19 and 21, will then be in pressure contact except for the intervention of a very thin film of the lubricant or silencing medium. The presence of this film obviously obviates or reduces 'to a minimum all noise caused b the contact of said juxtaposed areas, an as the engine continues to run and heats up, the clearance between these juxtaposed areas gradually lessens. l have found in practice that there is at all times present, more or less of a thin film of the lubricant or silencing medium between said juxtaposed areas and the latter are thus obviously in pressure contact with the silencing medium at the period of unseating the valve.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that my novel device constitutes a species of ball and socket or universal joint connection common to the end of the rocker arm and the juxatposed valve stem in conjunction with the upper and lower discs whereby lostmotion is eliminated, the functioning of the valve at the proper periods is positively provided for in synchronism with the rocker arm and the thin film of lubricant between thecontiguous coacting areas of the upper and lower discs will not only afford an adequate supply of the lubricant for the proper lubrication of the contiguous parts at all times but will in addition serve to deaden all noisef The ball and socket or universal joint connection permits the proper limited play to the coacting elements which is necessary by reason of the oscillatory or rocking motion imparted to the rocker arm and the range of adjustment afforded by the threaded plug and its locking devices enables all the parts to be quickly assembled and properly adjusted.

It will further be seen from the foregoing that the two disc like members, 19 and 21 perform an important function in my novel organization, since by reason of their ,contacting juxtaposed surfaces, I am enabled to effect the desired synchronous reciprocations of the coacting valvular elements, and in conjunction with the upper disc 19, I may employ other equivalent forms ofball and socket members slightly different from that shown.

It is obvious that while I have shown m invention in Fig. 1 as applied to an upward ly seating valve, it can be used with equal facility and advantage with a downwardly seating valve, as seen in Figs. 7 to 9, and

.it can be applied to inlet or exhaust valves or both as may be desired.

In Figs. 8 to 9, 34: designates a downwardly seating valve having my invention applied thereto, 35 designating the valve stem movable in the guide 36 at the lower end of menses the valve stem which is pinned to the upper disc 36*, having the outer peri heral flange the rod or valve tappet 42, whose lower end is secured to the U shaped yoke or frame 43.

dd designates the camshaft, which carries the came and 46, the contour of whose working faces will be apparent from. Fig. 10, it being apparent that one cam serves to actuate the rod 42 and its adjuncts in one direction, while the other cam serves to actuate said rod and its adjuncts in the oppo-- site direction, the valve being positively actuated in both directions smoothly and noiselessly.

In the construction seen in Figure 9, I employ the upper and lower discs 3? and 39 seen in Fi ure 8 but attach to the bottom of the lower-disc the housing 47 containing the bearing plates 48 and 49 carrying the ball 50 which is the upper end of the rod42.

lit will be seen that in all the embodiments of my invention, the discs, plates or their lid till

equivalents having their surfaces in contact as described are an essential element in the organization and contribute most eficiently to the noiseless and efiective operation of the valvular, mechanism in synchronism with the other coacting elements.

The small oil reservoir 23, seen in Figures '3, d, 8 and 9 may be located in the lower disc, if desired, or left out entirely, as is evident. I have deemed it unnecessary to describe in detail the cycle of operation of the engine seen in Fig. 7', as this will be apparent to those skilled in this art. The ball 16 can be lubricated by any suitablegmeans as by the ports 51, seen in Figure it will be understood that while I have shown the abutting surfaces of the members l9 and 21 as being disc shaped'and have so described them, I may employ other or equivalent polygonal shapes or if desired ll may employ the constructions seen in Figures 12 and 13. In Figure 12, the upper and lower contacting members are conical and desi ated as 52 and 53 while in Figure 13, ll ave shown the contacting surfaces as being convex at 5a and concave at 55, the other coactin elements as the ball and socket and the va ve stem and their adjuncts bein oi the same construction as already descri ed, in the construction seen in li' ignres l2 and it, i prefer to have the juxtaposed surfacesso positioned with respect to each other that a thin film of the silencingimedium will be present, as indicated in Figure 3, but it will be evident that in all the. embodiments of my invention, the

juxtaposed surfaces of the disc-like 'members or their equivalents maybe substantially in contact without departing from the spirit of my invention.

' It will now be apparent'that l, have devised a new and useful valve stem silencer which embodies the'features of advantage enumerated as desirablein the statement of the invention and the above description, and

while I have, in the present instance, showr.

anddescribed preferred embodiments thereof which will give in practice satisfactory and reliable results, it is to be understood that these embodiments are susceptible of modification in various particulars, without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention or sacrificing any of its advanta es.

aving thus described-my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a silent valve operating mechanism, a rocker arm, a valve, a stem for said valve, a disc shaped member attached'to and movable with said rocker arm, a joint common to said rocker arm and its disc, a second disc shaped member attached to said valve stem, the juxtaposed substantially contiguous areas of each disc being greater than the area of said valve stem, and a film of silencing medium interposed between and contacting with said juxtaposed areas, which latter are in contact with each other, except for the intervention of said silencing medium.

2. In a silent valve operating mechanism, a rocker arm, a valve, a valve stem, a plurality of members having enlarged surfaces intermediate said rocker arm and stem, whose juxtaposed areas are each eater than the cross sectional area of sai valve one of said members and said rocker arm,

and a sprin bearing on one of said memhere, for hol ing said valve normally seated.

3. In a silent valve operating mechanism, a valve actuator, a valve, a valve atom; a

vplurality ofmembers intermediate said actuator and valve stem, whose juxtaposed areas are greater than the area of said valve stem, a lubricant pocket for one of said areas, an annular flange on one of said members for the retention of the lubricant, a film of the latter being interposed between saidjuztaposed areas, said'film bein compressed between said members, when t e latter are actuated to unseat said valve, and a universal joint intermediate said valve actmater and its member.

4. In a valve stemeilencer, a rocker arm,

a detachable socket in the end of said rocker arm, a ball in engagement with saidsocket, an upper disc carried by said balha valve stem and lower disc carried by said valve stem, the juxtaposed surfaces of said discs being in contact, when actuated, with a silencers medium, a lubricant reservoir in one of said discs, and an upper peripheral flange on said lower disc for retaining lubricant thereupon. M 5. In a valve stem silencer, a rocker arm having a detachable socket therein formed of a plurality of members, a threaded plu engaging the upper of said members forl ccking said socket in the desired position, a t til engaging said socket, a valve stem and c,.=ntacting discs carried by said ball and valve stem,

6 In a valve stem silencer, a rocker arm aeeegese having a detachable sec 1; the sin lama" of a plurality ofmenibc a threaded plug engaging the upper of members, means for locking said plug in the desired position, a ball engaging said soc and connections intermediate said ball and valve said connections comprising a plurality of discs having their juxtaposed surfaces in contact, when actuated, with silencing medium.

7. In a valve stem silencer, a rocker arm having a detachable socket therein formed of a plurality of members, a threaded plug engaging; the upper of said members, means for locking said plug in the desired posi tion, a ball engaging said. socket, and cannections intermediate said ball and valve stem, and comprising discs in contact, when actuated, with a silencing medium and a peripheral flange on one of said discs icc retaining the silencing medium.

ALBERT E. HUTT. Witnesses 2 E. HAW/Venn FAIRBANKS, JOSEPH Commas, E. A. COREIN, Jar. 

